Three men convicted of murdering Australian brothers and US friend in Mexico
Three men have been found guilty of murdering Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend Carter Rhoad during a 2024 surfing trip in Baja California.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A court in Mexico has found three men guilty of murdering two Australian brothers and their American friend during a surfing trip in Baja California in 2024. The victims were Jake and Callum Robinson, from Western Australia, and Carter Rhoad.
The three young men were on holiday near a tourist town in Baja California when three Mexican men approached them. The attackers tried to take their pickup truck. The robbery turned into a botched or failed robbery, and the three men were killed. They suffered gunshot wounds to the head. Their bodies were found eight days later down a well shaft. The pickup truck was burned and buried.
The trial lasted about a month. The parents of the two Australian men travelled to Mexico for the case and sat through harrowing detail. Outside court, they paid tribute to their sons. They said Callum and Jake had their whole lives ahead of them, filled with dreams, love and promise, and that they would forever carry their memory in their hearts. They also said they hoped the outcome would bring some peace to other families.
Sentencing is due next week. The girlfriend of one of the accused men has received 20 years in prison for her role in the robbery. She said the three victims had handed over their keys and wallets and had begged for their lives.
The case has gripped Australians and Americans. It has been a long process for the families, who waited more than two years for the convictions.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Reported by all 2 channels | ||
| The victims were named Callum and Jake Robinson, two Australian brothers, and Carter Rhoad, their American friend. | Reported by Sky News | |
| The victims' bodies were found down a well, with some reports saying eight days later. | Reported by Sky News | |
| Three men were found guilty of murdering Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend Carter Rhoad during a 2024 surfing trip in Baja California. | ||
| Only on one channel | ||
| Sentencing in the case is due next week, and the girlfriend of one accused man received a 20-year prison sentence for her role in the robbery. | Not reported by Channel 5 | |
| The girlfriend of one of the accused received a 20-year prison sentence for her role in the robbery. | Not reported by Channel 5 | |
| The victims were shot in the head, their bodies were found eight days later in a well shaft, and their pickup truck was burned and buried. | Not reported by Channel 5 | |
| The victims' pickup truck was burned and buried. | Not reported by Channel 5 | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Sky News gave a detailed correspondent report from Sydney, with a sombre tone. It focused on the trial, the attempted robbery over the pickup truck, the gunshot wounds, the discovery of the bodies in a well, the burned pickup and the upcoming sentencing. It also carried the parents' emotional comments and the girlfriend's 20-year sentence for her role in the robbery.
- “Callum and Jake had their whole lives ahead of them filled with dreams love and promise We will forever carry their memory in our hearts”
- “These people have not the first time they've murdered somebody and I believe that So I hope that it brings some peace to some other families”
- “This is just such an awful case.”
The bulletin gave the story a short, parent-focused treatment. It led on the parents' heartbreak and the guilty verdict, named the victims and said their bodies were found in a well. It did not include the trial detail, the sentencing timetable or the girlfriend's sentence reported elsewhere, and it was surrounded by unrelated political and protest items.
- “The parents of two Australian brothers have spoken of their heartbreak as three men were found guilty of their murder on a surfing trip to Mexico along with their American friend.”
- “Callum and Jake Robinson and Jack Carter Rhoad were shot in an apartment botched robbery in a secluded beach area in 2024.”
- “Their bodies were then found in a well.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.